Refractory body and process of making the same.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD GOODRIGHACHESON, OFSTAIMI'ORID TO WNSHIIP, WELLAND COUNTY, OIISHIAIBJO, CANADA.

REFRACTORY BODY AND PBQGESS OF MAKING THE SAME.

No Drawing.

Specification of m... 2mm. Application filed Kay 27, '1909. Serial No. 498,648.

Patented Jan. 9,1912.

crystallized silicid of carbon known as carborundum.

As is well known, the crystallized silicid of carbon known as carborundum is an extremely hard and rather brittle body consisting essentially of silicon-and carbon in proportions corresponding to the formula SiC. This body is produced commercially by heating a mixture of sand and coke, or other form of carbon, by means of an embedded resistor, usually consisting of granular coke. To increase the porosity of the charge sawdust is commonly added, and it I is also customary to add sodium chlorid,

whereby the elimination of iron is facilitated.

I have now discovered that under certain conditions itis possible to obtain a productwhich contains silicon and carbon, and may perhaps consist essentially of these elements in substantially or even precisely the proportions in which they exist in carborundum, this new product differing however in essential respects, and particularly in certain physical characteristics, from carborundum. The distinction'which I regard as most important and most characteristic of the novel product is in respect to its greater toughness or lesser degree of brittleness, in which respect it far exc'els carborundum. This novel product is formed by'a reaction occurring in the electricfurnace between sand or equivalent silicious material and carbon, in presence of an element or compound capable of modifying the reaction to such degree or in such manner that the product acquires the-essential physical characteristic of increased toughness as compared with carborundum. As an example carbon,

"was black in color or crystalline structure was of its production I will describe the followmg:

mixture was prepared consisting essentially of pure silica sand and carbon commingl'ed in the proportions theoretically required for. the production of silicid .of that is to say in the proportion'of 62.7 parts of sand to 37.3 parts of carbon. To this mixture was added a second mixture consisting essentially of boric acid from which most-0f the water of crystallization had been expelled, and carbon, theboric acid and carbon being in the approximate proportions of 210 parts of carbon. These two mixtures were thoroughly commingled in various proportions, the proportions in one specific in-' stance being 92 parts of the silica mixture to 8 parts of the boric acid mixture. The resulting mass was heated in an electric furnace ofthe resistance type, being disposed in proximity to the resistor and carefully shielded from the action ofthe air.

quired for the production of carborundum, and was maintained for several hours. 'At the close ofthe operation the product was found to consist in part of a. crystalline material, much of which presented the appearance of plates of considerable size with very thin and sharp edges,, clearly distinguishable from the comparatively blunt edges of typical carborundum crystals. The material nearly so, and did not in thisinstance exhibit the iridescent coloring which is often characteristic of carborundum. The hardness. of the new product is at least equal to and perhaps greater than that of carborundum. Th

of one specimen of the product-in the formof highly developed crystals was 3.246,

closely approximating that of carborundum.

parts of B,,O to 120 The temperature was approximately that ree specific gravity e temperatures of formation and decomposition of the product appear'to be similar to those for carborundum. Upon decomposition at high temperatures a residue of graphite remained. The product was also observed in the form of masses wherein no masses being very dense in character and presenting the appearance of having undergone at least partial fusion. 1

The most striking and salient characteristic of the product, both in the crystalline and massive forms, is,

apparent, these as above stated, its.

Y may toughness as compared, with carborundum.

This characteristic toughness of the ma terial in conjunction with its extreme hardness mdicates' abrasive qualities of .exc'eptional value.

Boron may enter into the product of the furnace 0 eration, but whet er in case it so enters 1t exists in chemical combination with the silicon and carbon, or as a carbid of boron in admixture with silicid of carbon, or in admixture therewith in other form or combination, is not at present known.' It a' pears probable however from the results 0 tained that the product may be entirely or substantially free from boron either in combination or admixture, and yet exhibit in a high degree those valuable properties above noted andthose characteristics which distinguish it from carborundum, such properties and characteristics being presumably in this case due to the modifying influence, during the reaction, either of the boric'anhydrid or of, .the products of case it is reasonable to suppose that otherbodies may prove capable of exerting a like reduction thereof. In such by heat developed 1n favorable efiect-upon product.

I claim:

1. The herein described novel product, containing as essential constituents silicon and carbon,'and characterized by a degree if toughness exceeding that of carborun- 2. The process which consists in disposing in proximity to a resistor a charge contaming a'silicious material, carbon and a compound of boron, the compound of boron in less proportion than the silicious material, and effecting reduction of the same said resistor by the passage therethrough of an electric current, thereby producing a material containin as essential constituents silicon. and car on, and characterized by a degree of toughness the toughness of the exceeding that of carborundum.

. In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' EDWARD GOODRIGH ACHESON'. Witnesses:

W. H. Amson, EBEN G. Srnmnx. 

